Asia

Tree Data
Tree size is reported to vary with species, but heights are commonly about 100 to 200 feet (30 to 60 m). Stems are often well-formed,

with trunk diameters of 36 to 72 inches (90 to 180 cm) above small buttresses, and merchantable lengths of about 70 feet (21 m).

Sapwood Color
The wide sapwood is gray or buff in color and is usually very distinct from the heartwood.

Heartwood Color
Heartwood color varies from pinkish-brown or orange-pink, to dark brown or red-brown, often with a pinkish tint. The timbers are reported to darken with age.

Grain
The grain is straight to shallowly interlocked.

Texture
Texture is reported to be generally moderately coarse.

Luster
Dipterocarpus timbers are usually dull or non-lustrous.

Odor
The freshly-cut wood has a strong resinous odor but no distinctive taste.

Movement in Service
The timbers are reported to exhibit high shrinkage during drying and rather large movement in use.

Natural Durability
Natural resistance of heartwood to decay is reported to vary with species, but it is rated as generally moderate. It is susceptible to attack by termites, and resistance to marine borers is reported to be low despite high silica content in some species. The sapwood is vulnerable to attack by powder post beetle. Resistance to Impregnation Both heartwood and sapwood of Dipterocarpus timbers are reported to be moderately resistant to preservative treatment.

Resin Content
The wood contains resin which often exudes on to surfaces of material dried at high temperatures.

Toxic Constituents
Sawdust from some Dipterocarpus species is reported to cause skin irritation in some individuals.

Silica Content
Some Dipterocarpus timbers contain silica, which causes severe and rapid blunting of cutting edges in machining operations. Amount of silica is reported to be generally less than 0.5% (of ovendry weight). A silica level of 0.05% is usually considered to be high enough to affect the machining properties of wood.

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